Updates

Welcome to NCSSM and 3rd West!

Hello Everyone. I am Alex Currin and I will be your Community Coordinator this year. I am reaching out today to share with you several resources that will help you prepare for the transition to NCSSM and life on 3rd West. I know the transition to NCSSM can be a lot, and I look forward to helping you navigate your time here; it is also my first week at NCSSM and can't wait explore the campus and culture here alongside you! Please check back here in a few days, as I am working a video tour of the hall that I wills share here !

I want to take a moment to highlight the purpose of this website and all the resources contained within. The hall site has lots of helpful information for you. On the home page you will see the 3rd West Activities calendar, the School Activities calendar, and the Academic Calendar. The leadership page of the site includes an introduction to me and an explanation of my role, as well as brief introductions to our amazing team of Residential Life Assistants (RLAs) and their role on hall. There are also pages of resources for both students and families; these are meant to be helpful hubs where you can find reminders of policies and any links you may be looking for.

Family Day Preview:

Each September, NCSSM Durham invites families to campus for a fun and informative Family Day! On Saturday, September 9, 2023, families can experience a “day in the life” of their student as they walk through a condensed version of their student’s schedule. Families will envision the excitement of learning as they have the opportunity to meet their student’s instructors, counselors, and other key campus members, all while exploring NCSSM’s interactive classrooms and innovative learning spaces.

A detailed agenda for Family Day can be found here. In addition to meeting their student’s stellar teachers, families will have a chance to connect with other NCSSM families at the Parent Association hospitality table and visit the school store, where families can snag some awesome merchandise and show their school spirit!

Families should RSVP by completing this registration form as soon as possible and no later than Wednesday, September 6.

College Fair Preview:

The NCSSM Durham community is excited to host College Day on Thursday, September 28, at the end of the academic day from 3:15 to 5:30pm. This is an amazing opportunity for juniors and seniors to learn more about colleges across the country and explore what school might be right for them.

In the past representatives from more than 70 schools from around the country have been available to talk with students and families about their schools, the college admissions process, financial aid, and scholarships. More information about the schools represented at the college fair this year and student requirements for attendance will be shared in the coming weeks.

Increasing Workload:

Now that we have made it to the first extended weekend, students should be getting into the swing of things with classes and life at NCSSM. Around this time students will also notice their workload increasing. It is imperative for them to develop strong time management skills and learn to seek out help as they begin to face these new challenges. If needed, students can reach out to their CC and/or any of the following resources:

Center for Advising and Academic Success (CAAS): CAAS serves all residential and online students during their time here at NCSSM. The purpose and function of the Center is to provide individual, ongoing, and real-time academic support and guidance for all students. Some of the CAAS services include:
- providing guidance and advice for students on course choices and placement
- providing academic consultation for students
- developing and managing academic support plans
- communicating directly with student support teams
- communicating/collaborating with Counseling on academic support
- providing administrative support for Enrollment Services/Registrar

Tutorials: Most classes and departments offer formal tutorials for students. These tutorial sessions are led by both faculty and student TAs. Tutorial sessions or resources can be found on each department’s website:

Residential Education Courses: All juniors take RE102; in this course they learn about academic success strategies. The skills they develop and the resources provided by their instructor will be helpful to revisit as their workload increases.

Progress Reports

As September draws to a close, faculty across campus will be completing grading assignments to release progress reports for students on September 22. To view student progress reports, families will need to log into Blackbaud and select the “progress” tab. Families will then click “report cards” to open all the progress reports for the year and select either “Semester 1 - Durham” or “Semester 1 - Durham (no comments),” depending on whether they want to view grades and teacher feedback, or just grades.

If families have concerns about their student’s performance, then please reach out to their student’s CC. CCs always meet with students who have multiple Cs or a D to help develop a plan for improvement, but will be happy to meet with anyone if there are concerns. It is also important that students reach out to their individual teachers, counselor, and the Center for Advising and Academic Success for advice on how to improve. This is also a good time for students to evaluate whether they should be attending tutorials more often.

Residence Halls Closing & Opening:

Just a quick reminder that the Residence Halls will be closing twice during September.

Closed Friday, September 1st at 5:00pm. Opens Monday, September 4th at noon.
Closed Friday, September 29th at 5:00pm. Opens Sunday, October 8th at noon.

Students will complete an electronic Extended Sign-Out Form during hall meeting. On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their destination. If students have specific questions about checkout procedures for Extended Weekends, they should reach out to their CC.

First Extended Preparation:

As students prepare for the first extended weekend it is important to understand that we use a special sign out for these weekends away from NCSSM:

Halls close at 5pm on Friday, September 1st and reopen at noon on Monday, September 4th.
Students will sign a virtual Extended Sheet during hall meeting. On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their location.
If a student is not departing early and their final destination is home or they are being picked-up by a parent/guardian, they do not need to fill out any forms other than the virtual Extended Sheet, including their LiveSafe app.
If a student is departing before the day the Extended Weekend begins they will need to have a parent/guardian sign them out at Bryan desk or complete the Student Travel Permission Form and sign out at Bryan desk with whomever is picking them up. They will also need to sign out on the LiveSafe App.

If a student's final destination is not home and they are not being picked up by a parent/guardian, or if they are taking the train or Greyhound bus, they will need to submit the Student Travel Permission Form, sign out on LiveSafe, and sign out at the Bryan desk.